Ned has had a number of relationships over the years. He was first introduced as having an affair with Dr. Monica Quartermaine, the wife of his uncle Alan. She didn't recognize him because he had been sent to boarding school as a child and she didn't see him again until he was an adult. He later married and annulled Monica's daughter Dawn Winthrop, divorced Spencer cousin Jenny Eckert, and band manager and recording company executive Lois Cerullo, the mother of his daughter Brook Lynn Ashton. He was also briefly married to Katherine Bell because she was blackmailing the family. The marriage was invalid, because at the same time, he was married to Lois as Eddie Maine. He had a long affair with Alexis Davis, but she developed cold feet and talked to Ned right before the wedding and called it off.

He had a platonic marriage to Chloe Morgan, who was a distant cousin of his grandmother Lila, and later was engaged to Alexis's long-lost sister, Kristina Cassadine, whose death he and Alexis blamed on Sonny Corinthos. Most recently, Ned had a relationship with Skye Chandler. For a time he pretended to be the father of Alexis's daughter, Kristina Davis, and had custody of the little girl when Alexis was on trial for murdering Luis Alcazar and was later sentenced to probation. Alexis didn't want the Quartermaines to be involved in the girl's life, and he later decided to give up contact with her. Ned has been a back burner character in recent years, living quietly in Los Angeles and Brooklyn at once.

Ned with his mother, Tracy and brother, Dillon

He returned in November 2007 to attend Emily's funeral. He also returned in November 2012 to attend the Quartermaine's Thanksgiving and his grandfather Edward's funeral. On the 22nd, he visits his mother Tracy in the family mausoleum and then heads to the mansion. He is part of the argument between his mother Tracy, Monica, A.J. and himself until Michael intervenes. He witnesses Heather attack on Skye. He supports his mother in the battle of CEO when A.J. tries to take control of ELQ Enterprises. He leaves town for awhile. He returned in January 24, 2013 to see and help his mother Tracy keep her CEO position in aftermath of Lucy Coe's vampire-hunting attack on John McBain. He intially proposes to Tracy that she steps aside in the battle for ELQ because Ned doesn't want to see Tracy get hurt. Ned says that he will continue to support his mother.

Ned returns to Port Charles on April 15, 2014, to attend his cousin, A.J.'s funeral. When he returns he finds out that Fluke is trying to get his way in the family business. He also finds out that Fluke and his mother are engaged. So he makes Fluke sign a pre-nub, but Fluke is furious because this spoils his plans to take over ELQ. So he convinces Tracy to trust him and not sign that pre-nub. Later, Ned finds out that Fluke has been hitting on Kiki Jerome making her and Morgan Corinthos extremely furious with Fluke. When they tell Kiki`s boyfriend, Michael Corinthos III, he wants to kill Fluke. However, Ned comes up with a better idea. Ned and Michael both oust Tracy out of the company to save it from Fluke and Michael becomes the new C.E.O. On May 22, 2014, Fluke holds Ned at gunpoint. When Tracy walks in on them, Fluke deceives her. Ned later kicks his mother out of the house..

Ned and his father, Larry

In July 2014, Ned starts hanging out with Olivia Falconeri. They slowly develop feelings for each other. In September 2014, Alexis asks Ned out and this makes Olivia and Alexis`s ex-lover, Julian Jerome upset. On October 7, 2014, Ned runs into Monica at the Metro Court Hotel. Some people from the Port Charles Press, a newspaper ran by Julian, took pictures of Monica and Ned together. Julian then ran a story about Monica and Ned`s affair coming back.

Later that month, Ned`s father, Larry Ashton returned to Port Charles. Ned and the Quatermaine's have another Thanksgiving Pizza Dinner. In December 2014, Olivia tells Ned that she has feelings for him, but Ned tells her that he is with Alexis.

On Valentines Day, Ned and Alexis have a fight about Julian and later on he finds out that Olivia is pregnant with Julian's child. Ned and Alexis have since broken up. On February 19, Ned claims Olivia's child as his own to keep it safe from Julian's world.

On May 7, Julian finds out he is the father and on May 8, Olivia gives birth to a little boy with Ned by her side. To keep the baby safe, Ned and Olivia pay Dr.Obrecht off to help fake the baby's death. Ned and Olivia then leave town with the baby.